Abstract

The aim of the present study is to compare the structure and properties of nickel, cobalt and nickel–cobalt alloy coatings obtained from ionic liquid (IL) with those obtained from aqueous electrolyte. Choline chloride, a cheap and non-toxic IL, has been chosen for electrodeposition. The coatings obtained from IL displayed higher microhardness compared with those obtained from aqueous electrolyte. A difference in the surface morphology was observed. X-ray diffraction studies showed that the nickel rich coatings exhibited face centered cubic crystal structure, whereas those rich in cobalt displayed hexagonal close packed structure. Comparison in the corrosion behaviour of the coatings showed that the Ni coating possessed better corrosion resistance irrespective of the electrolyte adopted.